It’s hard to find an auto mechanic that you can trust. About 66% of Americans generally don’t trust auto repair shops.
They’ve had experiences with scams, unnecessary repairs, and overcharges. Despite this, there are still plenty of good auto mechanics out there.
Rather than search for “auto mechanic near me” and hope for the best, you can be more intentional about finding a reputable mechanic.
You just have to ask the right questions before you approve car repairs. Read on to learn the most important questions to ask when looking for a repair shop.
1. What Is Your Experience?
The person working on your car should have plenty of experience. Ask how long the repair shop has been in business.
Follow that up with the amount of experience the mechanic has working on your car’s make and model. An additional question to ask is if they have certifications.
If you want to feel a little more assured about a mechanic’s experience, check out their online customer reviews.
2. Do You Have Free Estimates?
An auto shop shouldn’t charge you for an estimate. They should give you a clear estimate for car repairs.
There are occasions where an auto mechanic discovers other issues once they start work on your car. Be clear that they don’t have the OK to do the work unless they contact you first.
3. Can You Show Me What’s Wrong With My Car?
There’s a big difference between a mechanic telling you what’s wrong with your car and showing you what’s wrong.
The top mechanics are willing to take you to your car and point out specific issues with your car.
4. What Should I Fix First?
A mechanic might look at your car and give you a long list of items wrong with your car. That could cost you thousands of dollars in car repairs.
Keep your budget in mind and don’t let the mechanic pressure you into fixing everything at once. Have them go through the list with you and prioritize what can get fixed now and what can wait.
5. Do You Have a Warranty?
This is an important question to ask because you want to know what kind of recourse you have if the repair doesn’t hold.
Sometimes an auto mechanic forgets to replace a part or doesn’t screw in something correctly. It does happen, but you should have to pay for another repair.
You should always check to see what the warranty is. Some car repair shops have a warranty on parts, but not labor. You want to have a guarantee for both parts and labor.
A good example of a repair warranty is from FixMyCar. They provide a warranty on parts and labor.
Find the Best Auto Mechanic
You don’t have to be intimidated to find a reputable auto mechanic. Sort through the bad mechanics and find the good ones by asking the right questions.
You want to know about their experience, the specifics around your car issues, and the warranty.
For more helpful car repair tips, check out the Automobile section of this site.
